Compare towns
Durham vs Bennington vs Sidney vs Lisbon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Lisbon has the youngest population (median age 38.4).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Durham | Bennington | Sidney | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
15,249Highest |
4,790 |
9,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 10% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
38.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bennington and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$77,819±$9k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 3% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$258,300±$26k 22% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$979±$286Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 21% above U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$3,324 7% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±9.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 133 in ME | #58 of 70 in VT | #15 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 18 | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Lowest |
— | 15.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.